A large portion of the products sold in commerce in the United States are transported by truck. Consequently, theft from trucks and trucking companies is a serious concern. Trucking companies, loading docks and storage yards typically have wide driveways to accommodate easy access for large trucks coming and going. These facilities also are typically surrounded by tall chain link fences to discourage theft and vandalism. Because of the wide driveways, a double driveway truck gate is typically provided in the fence in order to provide easy ingress and egress of trucks to the property. These gates typically have two large panels that swing on hinges. Some gates, however, have panels that slide in parallel to the fence line. These gates are the most obvious and often easiest point of access to a closed yard for thieves or vandals. Thus, there is a need for high strength, high security latching mechanisms to secure these gates and protect them from unauthorized access.
A common quality of most fence gates utilized in the trucking industry is that, when closed, the gate presents two tubular members positioned near one another. Some tubular members are circular in cross section and some are polygonal, generally square or rectangular, in cross section. Some swinging gates have two swinging panels that meet centrally. Others have one swinging panel that may be locked to a fixed post. Traditionally a chain and padlock would be wrapped around these two tubular members to secure them together to lock the gate. Unfortunately chains and padlocks are subject to cutting with bolt cutter as well as to breakage by prying.
A currently available gate lock includes two U-shaped channels that are wrapped around the tubular structures of two portions of the gate. The U-shaped channels may then be interlocked by a locking bar, which is then secured by a standard padlock. This mechanism requires that the gate lock be rotated relative to the vertical gate members in order to insert the locking bar into an opening to provide alignment before the padlock may be secured. It would be desirable to be able to use a locking mechanism without the necessity to manipulate the latch to this degree.